Steven Barlow serves as the Corwin Moore Professor in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with affiliation to the Nebraska Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior. His research spans: Special Education Speech-Language Pathology Communication Disorders Neuroscience Developmental Disorders Child Language Development His work focuses on neural mechanisms underlying communication and language development, particularly in children with developmental challenges, integrating brain imaging and behavioral analysis. Contact details are maintained through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's departmental office at STE C84, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, with telephone access via 402-472-6395.
Fredrik Nylén is an Associate Professor in Speech-language Pathology at Umeå University. He serves as Deputy Head and Assistant Head of the Department of Clinical Sciences. His research focuses on acoustic analysis of speech disorders, deep brain stimulation effects on voice tremor, and swallowing function assessment. Research Qualification: Docent Educational Qualification: Recognised University Teacher Research interests include Parkinson's disease speech impairments, transgender voice studies, and dysphagia diagnostics. Key projects involve developing the Visible Speech (VISP) platform for secure speech analysis and refining the Timed Water Swallow Test (TWST) for dysphagia screening. Recent publications (2023-2025) highlight interdisciplinary work bridging neurology (DBS outcomes in Parkinson's), endocrinology (voice biomarkers for acromegaly), and gender medicine (voice perception studies). Earlier work (1999-2005) focused on child speech acquisition patterns. Research Group: N4 Research Group
Evelyn Abberton is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London , affiliated with the Speech, Hearing & Phonetic Sciences department. Her work focuses on clinical applications of voice measurement, auditory-phonetic integration, and speech analysis. Research Interests: Her research spans voice disorders, phonetic criteria for clinical assessment, speech rhythm analysis, and cross-linguistic voice studies. She has contributed to understanding voice quality in smokers, Portuguese speech patterns, and pediatric cochlear implant outcomes. Publications: Her recent articles (2008-2012) emphasize voice pathology, acoustic analysis, and clinical voice evaluation tools. Key collaborations include researchers like Howard DM , Fourcin A , and Guimaraes I . Contact: Email e.abberton@ucl.ac.uk for correspondence.
Lynne E. Levato, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), specializing in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Her clinical and research work focuses on improving outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and comorbid conditions through behavioral interventions, parent training, and school-based strategies. Academic Affiliation: URMC, School of Medicine and Dentistry Clinical Focus: ASD assessment, developmental disabilities, literacy development, behavioral interventions Dr. Levato’s research investigates the intersection of ASD with ADHD, anxiety, and learning disabilities, emphasizing evidence-based practices for treatment. Her publications highlight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on parent training, modular behavioral approaches, and technology-assisted interventions like iOS apps and urine alarms for toileting and feeding challenges in ASD. She has contributed to high-impact journals such as the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Autism Research . Recent trends in her work include community-partnered interventions, self-regulation strategies, and adaptive behavior outcomes. Dr. Levato also explores school psychology applications, including contingency space analysis and experimental behavior analysis under naturalistic conditions. Scientific Awards: Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow in School Psychology
Elizabeth Short is a Professor of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University and Director of the Developmental Masters and Early Intervention Program. She leads the ALERT Lab (Attention, Learning, and Emotion Regulation Team), focusing on preschool and school-aged children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. Specialty: Psychology Lab: ALERT Lab Research: Multimethod studies on developmental assets, learning differences, and pediatric medical issues Collaborators: Rita Obeid, Amy Przeworksi, Angela Ciccia, Barbara Lewis Lab Location: Mather Memorial Building 147 Clinic: Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center (CHSC) Lab 431 Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to early identification/treatment of developmental differences, including ADHD, language disabilities, and autism, with recent focus on pandemic impacts on families.
Patricia Lanzon is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Early Level Education at the Division of Management and Education , University of Pittsburgh. With a PhD in Educational Psychology (Wayne State University) and additional degrees in Educational Psychology, Educational Administration, and Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (Florida State University), she specializes in early childhood education , evidence-based teacher preparation , and continuity of mental health services . Her career spans classroom teaching, administration, and leadership in education programs, including co-authoring a children's book on disability representation. Education: PhD in Educational Psychology (Wayne State, 2000), MEd in Educational Psychology (Wayne State), EdS in Educational Administration (Florida State), MSc in Social/Philosophical Foundations of Education (Florida State), BSc in Communications/Theater Arts (Eastern Michigan) Research Interests: Patricia focuses on the relationship between early childhood education programs and secondary education outcomes , with emphasis on literacy , mental health continuity , and universal design for learning (UDL) . Her work aligns with social justice and inclusive education to support diverse learners and families. Academic Contributions: Recent publications and presentations highlight family literacy programs , mental health service integration , and UDL implementation . These outputs span peer-reviewed journals, Authorea preprints, and conferences like the World Association for Infant Mental Health and International Association of Special Education, reflecting interdisciplinary engagement across education , psychology , and policy . Scientific Awards: The Empowered Woman Leadership Award, Empowered Consulting, 2019 Service & Leadership: She has served as a peer reviewer for journals like the AERA Annual Meeting and contributed to textbooks as reviewer and content expert. Her career also includes community outreach through recruitment speaking (Henry Ford College, 2004-2020) and advocacy for disability-inclusive narratives via co-authored children's literature.
Patrick J. Meehan is a researcher and instructor at the University of Michigan's School of Social Work, with a dual PhD in Social Work and Political Science. His work spans program evaluation, political participation, and gender dynamics in electoral politics. Education: PhD (2019), MSW (2009), BSE (2005) Research focuses on social work's intersection with politics, including poverty reduction, pandemic policy responses, and barriers for women in elected office. Recent publications analyze material hardship during the COVID-19 era and gender disparities in political recruitment. Teaching includes courses like Essentials of Social Welfare Policy and Program Evaluation and Applied Research , emphasizing practical policy application and civic engagement. Key collaborations include studies with colleagues on social workers' political activity and civic voluntarism frameworks. His work highlights systemic challenges in institutional racism and policy effectiveness.
Niels Pinkwart is a Professor at Humboldt University of Berlin within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Institute of Computer Science, serving as Member of the Faculty Council. His research group focuses on Computer Science and Society and Computer Science Didactics, developing AI-driven educational solutions for diverse learning contexts including vocational training, language acquisition, and autism support. His research centers on human-centered AI in education, with emphasis on adaptive learning systems, creativity assessment in programming environments, and inclusive technologies. Recent work examines physical embodiment in educational robots, bias mitigation in assessment algorithms, and neural engagement patterns in VR learning for neurodiverse populations. He investigates how multimodal feedback systems and LLM integration can enhance language learning while maintaining pedagogical alignment. Current publications reveal a strong trend toward practical AI implementation in real-world educational settings, particularly in vocational contexts and global health education. His team develops deployable tools like the AI Campus 2.0 platform and Zirkus Empathico 2.0 game, with increasing focus on ethical AI deployment and cross-cultural applicability as evidenced by Nigeria-based healthcare studies. The research consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with classroom-ready applications. Professor Pinkwart supervises doctoral candidates including Heinrich Mellmann, Kerstin Wagner, Gregor Wrobel, and Michael Piechotta, with disputation dates scheduled through late 2025. His work receives funding through collaborative projects like the Verbundprojekt KI-Campus 2.0, where HU Berlin leads the platform development component. The research group maintains strong industry and international healthcare partnerships, particularly in digital transformation initiatives for resource-constrained environments. He directs development of specialized educational technologies including sound-driven robot quiz systems with fair responder detection and multimodal feedback, alongside serious games for social-emotional development in autism. Current lab activities focus on scaling bias-mitigated exam assembly tools for vocational education while expanding VR-based cognitive engagement metrics across neurodiverse populations.
Penelope Collins , a Professor at the School of Education, University of California, Irvine , specializes in linguistically diverse literacy development from early childhood to high school, focusing on bilingual education, reading disabilities, and digital interventions. Her research integrates bilingual narrative tools literacy analytics language sampling methodologies educational technology to address equity in literacy outcomes. Recent publications explore AI-driven reading platforms writing pedagogy innovations language processing diagnostics STEM education access for English learners. Scientific Contributions Provost Faculty Fellow Leading meta-analyses on adolescent writing Developed digital tools for ADHD classroom management Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) analysis
Lee Branum-Martin is a researcher affiliated with the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University , specializing in psychological and educational measurement. His work bridges language, literacy, and statistical modeling to address critical educational challenges. Research Focus: Empirical testing of psychological theories, multilevel statistical models in educational contexts, and language/literacy dynamics (sign language, dyslexia, bilingualism). Labs: Leads the Lab for Measurement Issues in Language and Literacy (L-MILL) , applying advanced statistical methods to improve educational interventions. Methodology: Investigates longitudinal data and social contexts in education, particularly for diverse learners including deaf/hard-of-hearing children and incarcerated adults. Publications: Recent work spans topics from SES impacts on neurodevelopment to digital interventions for developmental disorders, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. His research integrates neuroscience, linguistics, and education to inform instructional practices and policy.
Daniel Conine is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning Sciences at Georgia State University's College of Education & Human Development, and serves as Program Director for Applied Behavior Analysis. He holds a Ph.D. (2019) and M.S. (2017) in Psychology from the University of Florida, and a B.A. from Denison University (2008). His research specializes in behavior-analytic interventions for children with autism and developmental delays, focusing on language development, early intervention, and caregiver training. Key research areas include: Emergent learning and pivotal behaviors Preference and reinforcer assessment Ethics and social validity of behavioral interventions Conine's publications demonstrate consistent focus on autism interventions, verbal behavior analysis, and clinical methodology. His work frequently examines treatment efficacy, reinforcer assessment techniques, and ethical considerations in applied behavior analysis.
Daniela Conti is an Associate Professor of General Psychology (PSIC-01/A) at the Department of Humanities of the University of Catania, where she teaches various courses in general and developmental psychology. She holds the National Scientific Qualification (Full Level) in competitive sector 11/PSIC-01 and serves as Student Ombudsman, member of the Quality Committee, and member of the Doctoral School in Interpreting Sciences. Her academic background includes: Degree in Psychology with honors International Doctorate in Neuroscience Daniela Conti's research lies at the intersection of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and advanced technologies, with a particular focus on assistive robotics for autism and intellectual disabilities. Her work explores how social robots can support psychoeducational interventions, human-robot interaction, cognitive technologies, and evidence-based neuropsychological approaches. She investigates applications of cognitive neuroscience to education and rehabilitation, with special attention to social inclusion and caregiver support through advanced technologies. Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on human-robot interaction in educational and clinical settings, particularly for neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent work emphasizes trust in human-robot interaction, cultural dimensions, social robotics in education, bilingualism through robotics, and psychological measurements in educational robotics. Her research shows a clear trajectory toward integrating advanced technologies with psychological principles to address real-world challenges in education and healthcare. Her scientific recognition includes: National Scientific Qualification (Full Level) in competitive sector 11/PSIC-01 (2021) Individual Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (CARER-AID project) Deputy Director of GEV Area 11b (Psychological Sciences), VQR 2020-2024, ANVUR Membership in Italian Psychological Association (AIP), American Psychological Association (APA), and EUCognition Registration with the Order of Psychologists of Sicily region (A 6007) As an advisor, Daniela Conti has guided numerous students through thesis projects focusing on psychology, neuroscience, bilingualism, social robotics, and cognitive technologies. She serves as Principal Investigator for research projects funded by the University of Catania (Pia.ce.ri.) and collaborates with national and international healthcare institutions and research centers. Her grant activities include European projects like CARER-AID and University of Catania-funded initiatives. Daniela Conti leads research activities through collaborations with Sheffield Hallam University (UK) and participates in multidisciplinary teams focused on assistive robotics, cognitive technologies, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Her work bridges psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and engineering disciplines to develop innovative solutions for educational and clinical settings.
Dr. Sarah Sass serves as Interim Chair and Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology & Counseling at the University of Texas at Tyler. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Her research focuses on anxiety and depression treatment/prevention, emphasizing rural populations and innovative care delivery methods. She employs psychophysiological techniques and collaborates with faculty across psychology, counseling, education, and engineering. Teaching spans graduate and undergraduate psychology courses. Dr. Sass’s work bridges clinical practice and community needs, addressing barriers to behavioral health care through methodological rigor and interdisciplinary collaboration. Recent research trends include telehealth adoption during pandemics, dual-continua mental health models, and the neurophysiological underpinnings of attention and emotion regulation.
William Bosl is a Visiting Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Visiting Faculty at Boston Children's Hospital's Computational Health Informatics Program (CHIP). He also holds an Associate Professorship in Health Informatics, Clinical Psychology, and Data Science at the University of San Francisco, where he founded the Master's program in Health Informatics. His research focuses on clinical neurophysiology and neurodiagnostics, particularly leveraging EEG signals to identify biomarkers for autism, epilepsy, and neurocognitive trauma effects. Dr. Bosl’s work integrates computational physics, signal processing, and biomedical informatics to address neurodevelopmental disorders and clinical decision support. **Education**: He earned a PhD in computational geophysics from Stanford University and a second PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from Boston University School of Medicine (2016). His career transitioned from computational physics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to neuroscience and health informatics at Boston Children’s Hospital in 2005. **Research Interests**: Includes EEG-based biomarker discovery, pediatric epilepsy management, neurodevelopmental pathways in premature infants, and global health initiatives such as neurological sequelae of cerebral malaria in Kenyan children. He emphasizes clinical translation of findings, including EHR integration and primary care device development. **Grants & Collaborations**: Supported by the BCH Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator and partnerships with institutions like Rutgers, University of Texas San Antonio, and the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Collaborations include developing a crowd-sourcing approach for EEG annotation and a prototype infant EEG device for primary care. **Labs/Teams**: Affiliated with the Computational Health Informatics Program (BCH), University of San Francisco Health Informatics Program, and international research networks addressing neurodevelopmental challenges.
Dr. Sangam Ankmnal Veeranna is an Assistant Professor in Audiology at the University of Southern Mississippi. He holds a Ph.D. in Hearing Science from Western University, Canada (2017), following a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Center for Audiology there. His research focuses on auditory processing in individuals with and without listening difficulties, employing psychoacoustic and electrophysiological methods. He teaches courses such as SHS-302 Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing and SHS-701 Psychophysics . Dr. Veeranna’s work integrates clinical audiology with cutting-edge technologies, including machine learning applications for auditory diagnostics. His recent studies explore the impact of maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy on infant hearing, mobile psychoacoustic testing systems, and neural mechanisms behind auditory processing disorders. His expertise spans psychoacoustics, electrophysiology, and APD assessment. Notable contributions include developing novel methods to simultaneously assess subcortical and cortical auditory sensitivity and advancing cluster analysis techniques for auditory brainstem responses. He actively publishes in journals like American Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Frontiers in Audiology and Otology .
